DBT Bureau
Pune, 25 Jan 2025
PanIIT Alumni India successfully concluded the third edition of PIWOT: PanIIT World of Technology Summit held from January 17-19, 2025, at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai. The summit brought together over 3,500 delegates and approximately 75 global attendees for engaging discussions on the transformative impact of digitalization and technological advancements across industries, governance, and society under the theme ‘Technology at Work’.
The summit commenced with an inaugural session featuring keynote addresses by notable figures such as Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, followed by an impactful closing plenary for the day by Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, with multiple parallel technical sessions, Startup Sessions and Live Hackathon in between. These thought leaders shared their perspectives on the pivotal role of technology in reshaping sectors such as education, science, technology, and governance. International dignitaries Hadi Badri, CEO of the Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC) at the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), and Reuven Azar, Ambassador of Israel to India, offered valuable insights into the evolving global technological landscape and their countries’ strong and mutually beneficial relationships with India.
The Opening Plenary, titled “Making Technology Work – A Peep Into the Future,” featured a welcome address by Debashish Bhattacharya, Chairman of PAN IIT, and an inspiring keynote by Raghunath Mashelkar, former DG of CSIR. The event delved into various domain tracks, including Sustainable Development and Green Energy, VC/PE Investments in Technology, Rural and Agri-Tech, Social Impact, and Health and Education. Prominent organizations such as Mercedes-Benz Group AG, SBI, NASSCOM, Lexlegis.ai, Rakuten, and Mayo Clinic contributed to these discussions.
The Startup Conclave hosted 250 startups, featuring 12 exhibition stalls and 28 pitching sessions. Among these, 12 startups were from the IITstartups.org cohort, while 16 participated in open pitching sessions following a 16-week acceleration program. The conclave attracted 200+ investors, including family offices, corporate accelerators, venture capitalists, and angel investors, with an average of over 6 investors per startup. The event also showcased insights from 26 distinguished speakers—entrepreneurs, unicorn founders, and leaders of high-growth startups—and facilitated collaboration between 17 IIT incubator heads, drawing 500+ attendees over two days. One of the key highlights of the summit was IMAGINE, India’s first design and coding hackathon, where nearly 300 onsite participants, selected from over 15000 registrants, developed affordable tech solutions addressing themes such as digital healthcare and sustainable urban development.
The conference concluded with a distinguished valedictory session led by Jayant Sinha, Former Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Government of India as a Guest of Honour, alongside Raj Nair, Co-Chair-PIWOT 2025, and a heartfelt thank-you note delivered by Sharad Kumar Saraf, Chairman of the Board of Governors at IIT Bombay and IIT Jammu and Debashish Bhattacharyya, Chairman of PanIIT.
Reflecting on the success of the summit, Debashish Bhattacharyya, Chairman of PanIIT, shared, “PIWOT 2025 was a resounding success, bringing together the brightest minds in technology, policy, and business to explore how innovation is shaping our future. The collaborative discussions, along with dynamic startup ecosystem and hands-on hackathon, have created lasting partnerships and valuable insights that will drive change in the years to come.”
Raj Nair, Co-Chair-PIWOT 2025, added, “The overwhelming participation and engagement at PIWOT 2025 demonstrate the immense potential of technology to drive global impact. We are proud to have hosted this transformative event, which has sparked new collaborations and fostered innovation across industries and sectors.”
“PIWOT 2025 has been a powerful testament to the transformative potential of global collaboration, with startups and innovators from across the world coming together to drive meaningful change. The event has showcased how IIT alumni and the Indian innovation ecosystem are at the forefront of shaping the future, equipping India to lead the global tech revolution. As we continue to foster collaboration and entrepreneurship, IITs are playing a crucial role in positioning India as a powerhouse of technology and innovation.” concluded Sharad Kumar Saraf, Chairman of the Board of Governors at IIT Bombay and IIT Jammu, and Chairman of PIWOT 2025.
